Head for the Hills, a leisurely drive that offers spectacular views over every rise. Nestled in the Darling Range, this luscious land is also a food bowl, with orchards, vineyards and other gourmet producers just waiting to welcome you. Try a gin at the Packing Shed or take a tractor tour through the orchards before tucking into lunch at Core Cider House. Surrounded by forest, the Perth Hills are also rich in natural beauty. Visit in spring and soak up the colourful carpets of wildflowers that bloom in the national parks. Take a refreshing dip in a granite pool as water cascades over stunning Serpentine Falls. Hike a section of one of the world’s longest walking trails, the Bibbulmun Track, and feel the cool comfort of towering jarrah and marri trees as you inhale the fresh forest air. Marvel at an incredible feat of engineering, the Mundaring Weir and No 1 Pump Station (Minderinjy), which was built more than a century ago to send fresh water to the Goldfields 560km away. The vision is as breathtaking as the vista. If you want to get the adrenalin pumping, ditch the car for a bike – at least temporarily – and hit the Munda Biddi Trail. Stretching more than 1000km from Mundaring to Albany (Kinjarling), it winds through spectacular Noongar boodja (country), into bush and farmland, under eucalypts and along ancient rivers all the way to the ocean. Spend an hour or two exploring and chances are you’ll be back for the full journey one day. Tiptoe through the tulips in spring, crunch through rust-coloured leaves in autumn – really any time is a good time to wander through the floral cornucopia that is Araluen Botanic Park. And if you plan to stay the night and enjoy some Hills hospitality, what better way to reflect on all you have seen than under a glittering sky. Gaze through a telescope at Perth Observatory for a truly stellar tour of the Southern Hemisphere. When you're done exploring the Perth Hills, slowly make your way back to Perth.